Redefined
by Timeline15
Summary: When Connie starts to develop new feelings towards Pearl, she grows concerned about how it will affect her relationship with Steven, and with her own mother.
1. Chapter 1

Redefined – Chapter 1

Connie hit the ground with a soft thud. Her back stung slightly from the impact, but it didn't feel like there was any major damage; a fact that was entirely intentional on the part of the person who had knocked her down in the first place.

"Pearl" panted Connie as she allowed herself to slump back onto the ground for a moment's respite "you know you don't have to go that easy on me. I know Gems have super strength, but we've been training for years now. You can hit me a little harder than that."

Pearl stood a short distance away, meticulously checking her sword for damage as she did in between every round. The pale, slender Gem didn't even look up from her blade as she replied with a smirk "I didn't _need_ to hit you any harder. I still put you on the ground didn't I?"

Connie pouted at the smug remark. "Yeah, but you still _could _have gone harder. There's nothing you can do to me that Steven can't heal anyway; I can take some harder knocks" she pressed, already knowing what the reply would be.

Pearl gave her full attention now. "Just because you _can_ take harder knocks doesn't mean you _should_" replied the Gem, in words that Connie could swear she'd heard hundreds of times before. "Me beating you to a pulp doesn't teach you anything, or at least nothing more than knocking you down just now did. Once you can match me at our current difficulty level, _then _I'll start going harder. Until then, try to pace yourself. You don't have anything to prove to anyone."

Letting out a sigh, Connie relented. She never could keep arguing with Pearl for very long. "Alright alright; we can take it slow for now."

"Good" Pearl replied with a warm smile as she knelt down to Connie's height. "Now give me that arm."

Connie held out her arm as Pearl began winding a bandage around the scuffed portion of her skin. She was more than capable of doing it herself, but she'd learnt long ago that it was pointless to try to stop Pearl from doting on her, and to be honest, she kind of enjoyed it. Pearl often showed more affection in the space of a minute than Connie's own mother could muster in an entire day. It wasn't that her mom wasn't a loving parent; she just wasn't the… emotional type.

"You know you don't need to do that" she said, attempting to keep up at least a portion of her façade of independence. "I'm gonna have Steven heal me as soon as we warp back to the house anyway."

"And what if he's out?" replied Pearl calmly. I can't have my favourite student sitting around with exposed scratches until he gets back." Connie wasn't sure it was appropriate for Pearl to _have_ a favourite student, given that the Gem now taught a sizable class at Little Home-school, but she couldn't help but smile at the compliment all the same, and allowed Pearl to finish bandaging her without further complaint.

"Aaaand there. All finished" Pearl announced as she tied the last bandage. "I should probably start packing up. My class is due to start soon."

"Ok" Connie replied with a smile. "Are you going to be back before Steven and I go to bed tonight, or do you have… _evening plans_ again?" The smirk with which she delivered the question left no ambiguity as to what she meant. The past few years had seen no reduction is Pearl's frequent hook-ups with any humans pretty enough to turn her head, and Connie knew it.

"Not tonight, no" replied Pearl with a mock glare, the severity of which was completely undermined by her smile. "I should be back in time to see you both tonight."

"Great, I'll see you then" said Connie as she turned to head through the warp pad.

"Make sure to practice your form before our next session!" Pearl shouted after her.

"Yes mo- Ma'am! YES MA'AM!" Connie instantly felt a flush of embarrassment at her slipup, but if Pearl had noticed, Connie certainly didn't see any indication of it. The girl was spirited away by the warp stream before she could gauge the reaction on the Gem's face.

* * *

Connie materialised in the beach house a moment later, only half focusing on her surroundings as she stepped off the warp pad. "Come on Connie" she thought to herself "it was just a dumb slip of the tongue; the sort of thing kids accidentally say to their teachers all the time, so why are you freaking out so much over it?"

Her self-interrogation was interrupted when she nearly walked headfirst into Steven. "Woah!" he exclaimed as he steadied himself from the unexpected collision "Hey Connie! You alright there?"

Once again, Connie admonished herself for her absent-mindedness. _Of course _Steven would be waiting right in front of the warp pad for her to get home; it was what he did every day he got back to the house before her. She would have remembered that if she wasn't fixating on a tiny social faux-pas.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine" she replied hastily. "Just thinking about something."

"Oh?" Steven enquired curiously. Connie held back a wave of irritation. Of course he'd be curious; he was curious about everything she thought, said, or did. It was one of the things she loved about him, but in this particular instance she found herself wishing he was slightly less inquisitive.

"Just these scratches I got from training today" she lied. "Pearl bandaged them up already, but I told her it wasn't necessary. After all..." she continued, her expression shifting to a playful smile "I've got you to kiss it better." She felt somewhat guilty using flirting as a diversion, but she wasn't about to let him pry any further.

Steven smirked and rolled his eyes. "Hey, I thought _I _was the corny one. Come here, I'll fix you up."

Connie spent the rest of her evening with Steven, taking care not to refer back to her training too much. The pair watched a movie; some schlocky old sci-fi film from the 60s, but Connie didn't take much of it in. She was grateful when the time came to set about making dinner, providing her with a manual task that could actually occupy her mind. As she searched the cupboards for the spices she needed for the curry she was whipping up, she came across a small sticky note in the place she'd expected them to be.

"_Hi Connie! I've hidden the spices again so that Amethyst doesn't eat them all before you can use them. You know where to look. Love, Pearl." _The message ended with a small drawing of a heart; one which was frankly entirely too anatomically correct.

Connie felt a grin creep onto her face. Every now and again Pearl would help her hide her ingredients before Amethyst could eat them out of house and home. She always put the spices in the one place Amethyst would never even think to look: the box for a 1000 piece puzzle on the shelves behind the couch.

"Hey Steven, hand me that puzzle box real quick" Connie piped up. Steven got up from the couch and quickly obliged, having been brought into the loop on Pearl and Connie's subterfuge weeks ago.

"Here ya go" he said, handing the box over to her. "Man, making dinner's got a lot easier ever since we stopped having to go on runs to the convenience store mid-prep. I've gotta remember to thank Pearl."

"Yeah" Connie replied absent-mindedly as she rooted around for the turmeric. "She's such a great mo-… mentor!"

Connie caught herself at the last second. She'd almost done it again. Steven gave her a quizzical expression for a split second, but Connie spotted her chance for escape before he could enquire any further. "Steven, the rice is boiling over! Can you get that?" she asked, thanking every potential deity in the universe for the interruption. Steven seemed to hesitate for a moment, but quickly acquiesced when froth started to pour onto the cooktop.

This went unchanged for the remainder of the evening, various activities or discussions keeping the pair enthralled enough that they paid no mind to the conversation. It was only after midnight that the conversation died down, and Connie allowed her thoughts to drift back to her dilemma.

Steven stretched and let out a yawn, his early morning that day finally catching up to him. "I think I'm gonna head up and get changed" he said as he rose from the couch "you coming to bed?"

"Yeah" Connie replied with what she hoped was a natural smile. "I'll join you in a minute."

As Steven wandered upstairs to get into his pyjamas, Connie was left alone on the couch. She took the opportunity to dash into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Wandering over to the sink, leant her weight onto it, and stared at her own reflection in the mirror, fixing it with a steely expression.

"Okay Connie: quit thinking so much about this. So what if you have an urge to call her 'mom' sometimes? It's not like that would offend her. I mean, I know it's kinda weird to feel that way about someone who's basically also your boyfriend's mom, and I know it's kinda unfair to your real mom but… Look: just don't make it any weirder than it already is. Be more careful what you say when other people are around, and everything will be fine. Okay?"

"OKAY!" yelled an enthusiastic voice from behind the shower curtain.

"Gah!" Connie exclaimed as she fell over in shock. "Peridot?! Is that you?"

"Yep!" The small green Gem replied as she pulled the curtain aside to reveal herself, as well as a blanket which had been unceremoniously stuffed into the bath. "I like to come back every now and again; revisit the old haunt; reminisce. Y'know?"

"You and Lapis had an argument again, didn't you" Connie replied with an unimpressed expression.

"OF COURSE WE DID!" Peridot yelled with righteous fury. "Do you know what she said to me a few hours ago? She said that Camp Pining Hearts season two, episode three was the best episode; when it's _objectively _clear that episode five has more emotional payoff! I just needed some time alone." Peridot delivered the last sentence with a melodramatic flair that would make a thespian jealous. Connie simply rolled her eyes in reply.

"Yeah, well, anyway, how much of what I just said did you overhear?"

"Oh, all of it. So anyway this Camp Pining Hearts episode…"

* * *

After finishing up in the bathroom, and having Peridot swear to never speak of what she'd overheard, Connie tiptoed up the stairs to her bedroom. Steven was sometimes already asleep by the time she got up there, his tendency to go out like a light having remained unchanged since they were children. Tonight though, he gave her a drowsy smile as she walked in. Connie wordlessly returned the smile as she clambered into bed, and nestled herself in his arms.

Within minutes, Steven was sleeping soundly, leaving Connie alone to her thoughts. "It's Okay" she told herself silently in her head. "Just wake up fresh tomorrow, and never think about this 'mom' issue ever again." As she closed her eyes and drifted off though, she somehow doubted it would be that easy.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Just a quick little story I felt like making. Not sure yet if it'll end up being two or three chapters long. Also, I'm just writing it as I go, so there's no schedule for  
the upcoming chapter(s). They'll be up when they're up. That said, I hope you enjoyed chapter 1!


	2. Chapter 2

Redefined Chapter 2

Connie awoke to find the other side of the bed empty. It was no surprise; Steven was an early riser these days, even on weekends. Rolling the covers off herself, she rubbed her eyes and sat up on the edge of the bed. She didn't have much in her schedule for that day; she didn't have to work again until the next morning, and she didn't have any more training sessions until Tuesday. That last fact was particularly welcome, as it meant she wouldn't have to run into Pearl.

Connie internally chastised herself for even thinking such a thing. What, was she avoiding her own mentor now? The whole thing was ridiculous, and she knew it, but somehow that knowledge didn't make her any less hung up on what had happened. Eager to keep herself occupied, she set about her morning routine, dressing, showering, and making breakfast.

She took her toast and cereal up to the bedroom so she could eat it in front of the television. She flipped on the somewhat antique screen, and settled on a cute-looking cartoon; after all, what was the point in being grown up if you couldn't be childish sometimes? She didn't remember the show's name, but it was one of Steven's favourites; the one with that angsty catgirl who sounded weirdly similar to Stevonnie. It was usually a bit too schmaltzy for Connie's liking, but she was happy for the distraction today, losing herself in the fiction as she absent-mindedly ate.

Her escapism was interrupted when she heard the temple warp pad activate. Figuring it would me impolite not to at least say hello, she sat her lap tray down beside her and headed out of the bedroom. As she came out into the sitting area, she found Garnet sat on the couch, sitting calmly but deliberately. Connie had known the fusion long enough to know that this was one of her 'I'm trying to look casual but I actually came here to have a specific conversation' sits. Allowing herself an eye roll, Connie walked down the stairs and took a seat beside Garnet.

"Hey Garnet, what's up?" she said casually, despite both parties knowing this wasn't a chance meeting.

"Something's bothering you" Garnet replied flatly. There was no hint of irritation or rebuke in her voice; it was simple a statement of fact.

Connie scowled at the fusion "You know how I feel about you using your future vision on my day-to-day life."

Garnet's stoic mask shifted slightly "I appreciate it's a little…invasive" she conceded.

"More than a little" Connie interjected, not willing to give ground this time.

"…but I've found over the centuries that sometimes, using my power is preferable to the consequences of not using it" Garnet continued. "I'm only here to try to make things turn out better than they might otherwise."

"Fine" Connie sighed. "What is this about?"

"You and I both already know what it's about" said Garnet "and I'm not about to force you to talk about it with me; we both know I don't exactly have much experience with…parents. Ruby and Sapphire are the closest thing I have, and it doesn't exactly feel right calling them that when they're still, well… in here" Garnet tapped her own head with her index finger.

"What I _will _tell you though" she continued, "is that you have to find _someone_ to open up to about this, be it Steven, or Greg, or whoever else you feel you can comfortably discussing it with. That's the only way this will turn out in a way you're completely happy with. Bottling up emotions never ends well, and I _am_ speaking from experience there."

Connie had to admit Garnet was right. She'd only been nursing these feelings for less than a day, and it was already getting in the way of other aspects of her life. If she could talk it out with someone, the situation would probably turn out to not even be a big deal. She just had to get over how weird and embarrassing it felt to discuss it out loud.

"Okay, you're right" she conceded. "Thanks Garnet."

"No problem" replied the fusion, rising to leave and thus abandoning any pretence that she had come to the couch for any reason other than the conversation.

"And next time, ask my permission before you look into my future!" Connie shouted after her as she approached the warp pad.

"Yes ma'am" Garnet replied with a grin as she vanished into the warp stream.

* * *

No matter what Connie did to keep herself occupied, Garnet's words stayed with her the whole morning, rattling around in her head. Eventually, when it became clear that losing herself in the latest 'Unfamiliar Familiar' book wasn't going to work, she decided the just get it over with. Clenching her fists and rising from the couch, she opened up her phone.

The question now was who to call. Her mom was out of the question, both because she was currently at work at the hospital and couldn't be disturbed, and because the conversation would be far too weird for Connie to face right now. The same problem applied to Steven. Peridot would certainly hear her out, but wouldn't exactly be able to offer any advice that would actually be helpful, and Lars was still in space, uncontactable without Steven around to open Lion's mane.

Her question answered by process of elimination, Connie selected a name from her contacts list and lifted the phone to her ear. She tried to keep her breathing calm as the ringing at the other end stopped.

"Hello, Maheswaran residence."

"Hey, Dad? It's Connie. Are you free at the moment?"

Despite being unable to see his face, Connie could hear her father's smile in his reply. "Of course! My next shift doesn't start until this evening. Come over any time."

"That's great, thanks Dad" Connie replied gratefully. "I'll hop on Lion and be there in a few minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you then" replied Doug. "May I ask what the occasion is? You don't usually visit out of the blue."

Connie gripped the phone a little tighter. "I think it's better if I just explain when I get there, but long story short, I could use a father-daughter chat right now."

There was now a mild hint of concern behind Doug's cheerful tone as he replied "Okay sweetie; see you soon."

* * *

Outside the Maheswaran residence, a swirling portal roared into life, launching forth a bright pink lion with a woman atop its back. For most people, such a sight would make one question one's sanity, or at the very least sobriety; for the residents of this street though, it had become a regular sight. Connie slid carefully off Lion's back, giving him a scratch behind the ear, and relinquishing the slice of luncheon meat she had withheld as his reward for the trip. Lion awarded her with an affectionate nuzzle, before promptly curling up and falling asleep on the front lawn.

Connie hesitated for a moment at the end of the garden path, unsure of what she was going to say to her father once he was actually in front of her. After a few tense seconds, she managed to swallow her hesitation, and walked up to the front door. She only had to wait a couple of seconds after knocking before Doug answered the door. The moment he caught sight of her, he pulled her into a hug that felt surprisingly tight given that he was one very few people Connie knew who was _not _in possession of enhanced strength.

"Urgh, okay Dad, that's enough now" Connie managed to reply.

"Oh, right. Sorry" Doug responded with a bashful chuckle. "Come on in Connie."

Connie always felt strange coming back to her parents' house. She'd lived in that house since before she met Steven. It had only been about a year since she'd moved into the beach house with Steven and the Gems, and she still had to resist the urge to call her parents' place 'home' accidentally; not that she didn't feel comfortable there of course; her parents always made her feel welcome, and her room was exactly as she'd left it. Her old bed was a little small for her and Steven to share, but that just meant that they spent the night as Stevonnie whenever they visited, which was almost as fun.

Even so, as Connie sat on the couch in the same sitting room she'd known for years, she couldn't help but feel slightly alien. Perhaps living with extra-terrestrials for a year did that to you. Doug sat down beside her, and fixed her with a look that was compassionate, but clearly concerned.

"So, what brings you here on such short notice? Usually we practically have to drag you away from your magic alien family." He asked the question with a smirk that indicated the last part was intended to be humorous, but Connie still felt a slight pang of guilt. Had she been ignoring her biological family? The thought made the reason she had come there all the more awkward.

"Well… I just needed to tell you about something that happened yesterday" she began as Doug looked on attentively. "I had just finished training with Pearl; y'know, sword practice, and I was about to head off. But she said something to me as I left, and when I replied I… I accidentally called her mom."

Doug was about to let out a chuckle until he saw the expression on his daughter's face. She had the look of a child that had just been caught sneaking cookies from a jar, or whatever other peoples' less disciplined children would have done in their youth; the sort of face that was a clear plea for forgiveness. In light of this, he thought it best to opt for the sensitive approach instead.

"Connie, there's nothing wrong with that. You certainly wouldn't be the first person to accidentally call a teacher 'mom'. Honestly I'm surprised it even bothers you; I don't get the sense that Pearl will mind."

"It's not that simple Dad" Connie replied with a sigh. "For one thing, Pearl isn't _just_ my teacher."

"Ah" Doug replied, catching on a little. "It feels weirder because she's one of your in-laws."

"Not just one of them" Connie answered. "Steven never met his real mom; Pearl's practically the closest thing he has. She's like _the _in-law!"

"Honey" Doug began "I honestly think you're the only one who's reading that much into it. It was a slip of the tongue. Steven's not going to care; I don't think I've ever seen that boy get weirded out. I realise it might have been a little embarrassing in the moment, but if I know Steven and the Gems half as well as I think I do, it's not going to change anything between you them."

"That's just it Dad" Connie retorted, finally willing herself to get to the core of the issue "I _want _things to change; with Pearl I mean, not with Steven. It wasn't just 'a slip of the tongue'. I said 'mom' because that's what Pearl feels like. When I think about her, that's… that's the word I get in my head."

Doug took on a less flippant expression and sat up a little straighter. "Okay… Okay. That's…unusual, yes; but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it."

"Of course there's something wrong with it!" Connie snapped back. "What would Mom think if she found out I was playing surrogate child to a woman I've only known a few years? We haven't exactly had the warmest relationship. I don't want her to think that the way I feel about Pearl is some sort of…reflection on her, y'know?"

Doug looked entirely serious now. "Well, has it occurred to you that maybe you _should_ consider it a reflection on her? On us?"

"What do you mean?" asked Connie, her voice trembling.

Doug let out a long sigh. "Look sweetie, your mother and I have learnt a lot over the last few years. We've come to realise that we weren't always the best parents. We stifled your childhood and that… that hurt you sometimes. Your mother is as aware of that as I am. If she finds that you're taking some motherly affection from another person besides her, then yeah, she might be a little hurt, but she'll also understand. She and I have accepted for some years now that we never exactly gave you everything a child deserves from their parents. If being closer to Pearl gives you something that you feel you've been missing, nothing would make us happier."

Connie wasn't sure at what point during her father's answer the tears had started coming, but she now found herself struggling to reply as she attempted to clear the blur from her vision. Finding herself unable to find the words, she instead opted to wrap her arms around Doug and sob onto his shoulder. Despite her urge to hug him as tightly as she could, she kept it gentle; she didn't want to risk hurting him with the strength she'd honed over the years.

After a moment she was able to compose herself, and pulled back to look her father in the face. "Thanks Dad. I didn't realise how much I needed to hear that."

"It's what I'm here for" Doug replied with a warm smile. "Now, wake up your Lion and go talk to Pearl. I don't want you to miss out on another second of mom time."

"Right" Connie replied with a grin. Giving her father one last hug, she leapt off the couch and headed out to the garden. As she gently shook Lion awake, she focused her thoughts on the task ahead. She was still a concerned about how Pearl would react, but she knew now that she had to at least find out.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry this next chapter took so long to come out. I had hoped to finish it just a couple of days after chapter 1, but life kinda got in the way a bit. That said,  
hope you enjoy it!


	3. Chapter 3

Redefined Chapter 3

Connie already knew exactly where Pearl would be. As soon as she and Lion rematerialized outside the beach house, she gave Lion a goodbye head pat, and headed inside to use the temple's warp pad. She passed Garnet on her way through the front room. "I don't suppose you're willing to tell me how well this is going to go over?" Connie asked as she passed the fusion.

"Humans tend to make the best decisions when they feel like the outcome hinges on them" Garnet replied. "Just say what you're feeling."

"Okay, okay" Connie conceded. "Thanks for the advice earlier" she said as she stepped onto the warp pad. The last thing she saw before warping away was Garnet giving her a smile and a thumbs-up.

As Connie rematerialized in the familiar surroundings of Little Homeworld, the streets around her were relatively quiet. This wasn't surprising; at this time of day, most of the town's occupants were still in school, attending one class in particular. Connie made her way over to Pearl's usual teaching area, and stood beside the doorway, just out of view of the occupants within. She allowed herself a peek through the door, and sure enough, saw Pearl delivering her human technology class.

"Now students" Pearl began in her usual, lyrical tone "today we're going to be following on from our last lesson concerning the human portable computation device known as the 'laptop'. I understand that many of you have been making use of such devices since last lesson, and that some… shall we say "social incidents" have occurred as a result. So today I'd like to begin by focusing on a feature called 'private browsing'…"

Connie stayed outside the door for the duration of Pearl's lesson. She knew she could have just come back when the lesson was over, but she wanted to speak to Pearl the very second she was free. She also found that the melodic sound of Pearl's voice helped to calm her nerves a bit. By the time the class was reaching its end, she had managed to compose herself enough that she was fairly confident of what she was going to say.

"Alright class, that's our time!" Pearl said cheerily. "Next lesson we're going to be pivoting our focus to culinary technology, beginning with the oven. Professor Amethyst will be here as a guest speaker to discuss the human digestive system. See you all tomorrow!"

One by one, Pearl's class filed out, some of them waving at Connie as they left. Once the final Gem had left, Connie shuffled through the door, trying to keep her sheepishness to a minimum. Pearl was fully absorbed in packing up her teaching supplies, and didn't seem to notice Connie come in.

"Hey, Pearl?" Connie piped up.

"Oh!" exclaimed Pearl, turning to face Connie with a look of surprise which quickly faded into a smile "hello there Connie! Can I help you with something?"

"Actually, yeah" Connie replied. "Do you have a minute?"

"Well, I've got nothing else booked, so I'm free all day" said Pearl casually. "What do you need?"

Connie felt her chest tightening. She was sure what she wanted to say, but that didn't mean that the moment of actually having to say it was any easier.

"Well…" she began "do you remember what I said when I was leaving training the other day? How I… kinda almost called you mom?"

Something undiscernible flashed across Pearl's face for a moment, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, Pearl returning to the cheerfulness she had been exhibiting before.

"Oh! Yes, I noticed. Don't worry Connie; I know you didn't mean it. I mean, all I ever did was teach you to swordfight; I didn't have nearly enough of an effect on your formative years for you to want to call me that; why would someone ever have thought that?! Heh, am I right?" Pearl spoke with a strained smile that entirely failed to hide the pain behind it.

Connie was momentarily at a loss for words. Pearl only acted this way then she was trying to cover up some internal hurt. But if that was the case then… she had wanted this. Pearl had _wanted _to be her mom. A portion of Connie's brain wanted to jump for joy at the realisation, but her response was tempered by the knowledge that Pearl was now beating herself up over it. The Gem seemed to think that Connie couldn't have meant what she said; that it didn't even make sense. Using all her mental might, Connie pressed down the wave of anxiety that Pearl's words had caused to well up inside her. She couldn't let this stand.

"Wha-… Pearl… Did you think that I came here to apologise for a misunderstanding or something? To take back what I said?

"Well, of course you did!" Pearl replied, tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. "We're not… That is I've… I've never done any "mom stuff" with you. Before you moved in with Steven I used to just teach you some sword tricks and then send you on your way! I could have asked you to stay longer or talked to you about other things o-or hugged you more, but I didn't. I-"

"Pearl!" Connie yelled, intent on cutting off Pearl's self-berating before it could go any further. "That's nonsense. I didn't come here to take anything back! I meant it; what I said after training. As far as I'm concerned, you're my mom. Or at least… that's how _I _feel."

Tears were streaming down Pearl's face now. "Wh-why? Why would you feel that way? You were always such an amazing child, and I never did anything to deserve-"

Pearl was cut off again, this time by Connie barrelling into her chest and wrapping her in a hug.

"Yes you did!" she said, pouring as much affection into her grip as she could. "You were always so accepting of me, even when my parents weren't! You were always so kind, and graceful, and you always used to send me little messages when we were out on mission to remind me to stay hydrated or dress for all weathers." Connie couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as she finished her thought. "Actually, now that I say it, you've kinda been mothering me for years. I can't believe it took me so long to finally notice."

Pearl was silent for a moment, prompting Connie to break the hug and look up at her. The Gem's eyes were almost too large for her head, and she wore a wide, quivering smile. Connie hadn't seen that face since she had first asked Pearl to train her. "Pearl" Connie said quietly "you okay?"

"Yes… yes. I'm fine" Pearl replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Better than fine even. It's just… this is all such a surprise; I… " She took a moment to compose herself, taking deep, gradually less shaky breaths.

"It took me so long to accept that I was even a mother to _Steven_. I told myself that so much of what I did was out of obligation; some sort of duty to protect Rose's legacy. I don't remember how old he was by the time I realised I wasn't doing it out of duty to _her_; I was doing because I loved _him_. And even then, it still didn't feel quite right to expect him to see me in the same light. I had stayed so distant for so much of his early life. I left all of the baby stuff to Greg; missed so much that I found myself wishing I had seen…

And then, when you and I started getting closer, and I realised I was starting to feel the same way about you too… Well I suppose I just didn't feel like I had the right to think that way. I had even less of a role in your life than I did in his. I didn't even _meet _you until you were already twelve, but… I feel it anyway. I love you just as much as I love Steven and… and I never dreamed that you'd ever feel that way too."

It was Connie's turn to cry now. She had spent so much of the last couple of days agonising over her feelings towards Pearl, and now she knew that Pearl had been nursing those same feelings for so much longer. For the umpteenth time since it had all started, Connie found herself unable to find fitting words. She opted to instead go in for another hug, and just say whatever felt right.

"Well, I do" Connie said as she rested her head on Pearl's shoulder, savouring the soft feeling of the Gem's jacket, and the comforting warmth radiating from beneath it. "I think we've both been way too inside our own heads about this" she continued, feeling the tension of the last two days leave her body with every word.

"Like mother like daughter I guess" replied Pearl with a tearful chuckle. She felt Connie laugh against her neck in response. If Pearl had had a heart, it would surely have burst. For a while after that, no words passed between the two; they simply stood silently in each other's arms, wordlessly communicating years of unspoken affection.

Eventually, Pearl broke the hug and looked down to meet Connie's eyes. "So" she began tentatively "what happens now? Is anything going to change?.. Do you want it to?"

Connie thought for a moment, tapping her finger against her chin. "Hmm, well let's see" she replied, formulating a response. Pearl was relieved to hear all the tension and worry from earlier in the conversation was gone from the girl's voice.

"Well, as we've established, you were kind of mothering me for years, and I just never noticed" Connie chuckled. "So I guess not much is actually going to be different. I'd just… like to call you mom sometimes? Maybe do some missions with just the two of us; like mother-daughter trips, but with more swords? Oh! And more of this; we're definitely going to cuddle more often. Does…that all sound ok to you?" Connie asked, looking up at Pearl hopefully.

Pearl bit back a fresh wave of tears, and brought a hand up to Connie's face, gently running her fingers through the hair dangling over the side of the girl's head. "Yes" the Gem answered with a chuckle. "I think I can manage that."

* * *

**One month later:**

Pearl and Priyanka sat on the sand overlooking the beach. Out nearer the water, Connie and the others were enjoying the pleasantly warm evening. The eclectic mix of humans and Gems were scrambling about in the water, laughing as they tried in vain to avoid Lapis' attempts to drench them with small waves. Pearl was still unable to not smile every time she saw Steven and Connie laughing and playing, no matter how far into adulthood they were.

"You're doing it again" said a voice from beside her. Pearl turned to face the voice's owner.

"Doing what, Priyanka?"

"Staring at them" the older yet infinitely younger woman replied. "I'm sure they can handle themselves without you keeping watch."

"I know" Pearl replied with a sigh. "It's just… you're so lucky."

"Hmm, how so?" Priyanka inquired.

"Connie. She's such a wonderful person, and you got to know her from day one; you're the one who brought her into the word in the first place. I've only had the privilege of knowing her for the last few years" Pearl replied.

Priyanka sighed slightly. It had only been a month since Connie had started referring to Pearl as a second mother figure, and while Priyanka had been slightly hurt by the implications, she understood her daughter's reasons. "Pearl" she began "I may have had her from day one, but I'm learning more and more these days that that doesn't necessarily mean I ever got to know her. I don't think I understood her much at all until you and Steven came along."

"I guess neither of us really has the full picture" Pearl conceded with a chuckle.

"Well maybe the two of us can help each other understand the parts of her we missed" Priyanka said, turning back to the sea.

Pearl's gaze wandered back out to the ocean too, settling on her daughter. "I'd like that."


End file.
